The invention relates to portable toilets and, particularly, to a chock for holding the flush valve of a portable toilet open so as to facilitate the cleaning and servicing of the toilet.
Portable toilets are widely used in numerous applications including recreational vehicles, trucks, temporary installations at work sites, and the like, wherein a limited capacity for waste water is available. Such toilets typically have a flush valve having an outlet and a flap or valve member which closes the outlet. The valve is typically biased into the closed position and opened by depressing a pedal, handle or lever or the like to open the valve. Conventionally, upon the release of such pedal, etc., the valve member returns to the closed position. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,145,773, 4,217,668, 4,710,988 and 4,974,899 are representative of such conventional portable toilet apparatus.
The water supply for flushing such toilets is typically actuated by the valve member or pedal so that when the pedal is released and the valve member closed, the flow of water into the toilet is stopped. Such a function is useful for obtaining efficient use of a small amount of flush water. However, when the toilet is to be cleaned or the system flushed by running water (either from the system or from an external source such as a hose) through the toilet and into the black water holding tank, the pedal, handle, etc. must be held depressed to keep the valve member open and, in some cases, to continue the flow of water. It would of course be desirable to provide a toilet wherein said cleaning operation can be performed without having to keep a foot or hand on the pedal or handle to keep the flush valve open.
It is therefore the principal object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for placement in the outlet of the portable toilet to hold the flush valve of the portable toilet open to facilitate cleaning.
It is another object of the invention to provide such an apparatus with a handle structure for convenient placement of the apparatus within the outlet and removal therefrom.
It is still another object of the invention to provide such an apparatus having a positioning structure for proper positioning of the apparatus within the outlet.
It is a further object of the invention to provide such an apparatus which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture.
Other objects and advantages will appear hereinbelow.